Alex Murdaugh trial — live: Defence explains why Buster didn’t plead for leniency in father’s sentencing

Oliver O'Connell and Rachel Sharp

Alex Murdaugh will spend the rest of his life behind bars without parole after being convicted of the brutal murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul.

The disgraced former attorney was sentenced to two consecutive life terms on Friday in South Carolina’s Colleton County Court and is now being held at the Kirkland Correctional Facility to determine where he will serve time. The South Carolina Department of Correction released his new mugshot after he was booked.

The defence said that Murdaugh’s surviving son Buster was not asked to plead with the judge for a lesser sentence for his father because they did not want to put him “through more trauma than anybody that we can imagine has ever been through.” They plan to appeal the verdict.

“We could have had Mother Teresa up there speaking on behalf of Alex at sentencing, but he was getting a double life sentence. That was expected,” attorney Jim Griffin told reporters outside the court, per Fox News. “Judge Newman, he is a very stringent punisher when it comes to crimes and sentences. That was never in dispute.”

The unanimous verdict was reached after a dramatic six-week “trial of the century” in a sprawling and scandalous case that has enthralled the nation for almost two years.

Alex Murdaugh murder trial

Murdaugh to appeal guilty verdict as defence continues to gripe about case

01:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Disgraced legal dynasty heir and convicted family killer Alex Murdaugh is already planning to appeal his verdict after a jury of 12 found him guilty of the murders of his wife and son.

Defence attorneys Jim Griffin and Dick Harpootlian held a feisty press conference outside Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, on Friday where they vowed to fight the murder conviction which has landed Murdaugh behind bars for life.

Mr Harpootlian said that they will be filing appeal documents in a matter of days and vowed that they would appeal his conviction all the way up to the US Supreme Court.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Alex Murdaugh to appeal guilty verdict as defence gripes about case after sentencing

How Paul Murdaugh helped seal his father’s guilty verdict from beyond the grave

01:00 , Oliver O'Connell

In the end, Alex Murdaugh’s crimes caught up with him.

And it was his own son who unknowingly helped cement his downfall from beyond the grave with a damning 50-second cellphone video of a dog.

How a 50-second video of a dog brought down Alex Murdaugh

Alex Murdaugh’s new mugshot revealed

00:38 , Andrea Blanco

The Department of Corrections released Alex Murdaugh’s new mugshot just hours after he was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison for murdering his son and wife.

The disgraced legal scion attorney was sentenced to two consecutive life terms on Friday in South Carolina’s Colleton County Court by Judge Clifton Newman. Murdaugh will be held at the Kirkland Correctional Facility while the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) determines where he will serve time permanently.

In a mugshot released on the same day of his sentencing, the convicted family killer appeared with a shaved head and wearing a yellow prison jumpsuit. A source told Fox News that it is standard procedure to shave incoming inmates’ heads.

Murdaugh will spend the next 45 days at Kirkland, according to a statement by the SCDC. There, he will undergo medical tests, mental health and education assessments that will help officials assign a custody level.

He will then be sent to one of SCDC’s maximum-security prisons, like all new inmates serving life sentences.

(Screenshot/ Department of Corrections)
(Screenshot/ Department of Corrections)

Watch: Moment Murdaugh heard verdict

00:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Moment Alex Murdaugh found guilty of murder of wife and son

ICYMI: Court rejects Alex Murdaugh’s last-minute bid for acquittal

Friday 3 March 2023 23:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Moments after disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh was convicted on Thursday of murdering his wife and son, a South Carolina court rejected his attempts to seek an acquittal.

A lawyer for Murdaugh, who could face up to life in prison when he is sentenced on Friday morning, argued the state hadn’t provided enough evidence to prove he was responsible for the 2021 killings.

Josh Marcus reports on what happened in court on Thursday evening.

Court rejects Alex Murdaugh’s last-minute bid for acquittal after murder verdict

Watch: Craziest courthouse moments from the Alex Murdaugh trial

Friday 3 March 2023 22:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The craziest courthouse moments from the Alex Murdaugh trial

Cousin Eddie who shot Murdaugh in botched hitman plot reacts to verdict

Friday 3 March 2023 21:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The man who allegedly shot Alex Murdaugh in the head in his bizarre botched hitman plot has spoken out after the once-powerful legal figure was found guilty of killing his wife and son in the summer of 2021.

Curtis “Cousin Eddie” Smith – a former law firm client, distant cousin and allegedly drug dealer of Murdaugh – released a statement through his attorney.

Here’s what it said:

Man who shot Alex Murdaugh in the head in botched hitman plot reacts to verdict

Authorities detail Murdaugh inmate intake process

Friday 3 March 2023 20:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The South Carolina Department of Corrections released the following statement regarding the intake process Murdaugh will now undergo.

Richard Alexander Murdaugh will be processed into the SC Department of Corrections today when he arrives at Kirkland Reception and Evaluation Center in Columbia. SCDC processes all male inmates into its system at Kirkland.

As a part of the intake process, like all inmates, he will undergo medical tests, mental health, and education assessments, and SCDC will gather other additional background information

Next, the CDC inmate classification system will follow the same process it follows for all inmates: evaluate the results of tests, assessments, and screenings administered to him, taking into account his crime and sentence, and use all of this information to assign the inmate a specific custody level and prison.

This evaluation process takes about 45 days. After the process is complete, he will be sent to one of SCDC’s maximum-security prisons, like all new inmates serving life sentences.

Murdaugh judge's own legal story unfolded in South Carolina

Friday 3 March 2023 20:17 , Oliver O'Connell

The judge who sentenced Alex Murdaugh on Friday to life in prison for killing his wife and son has earned attention and plaudits for his even-handed demeanor throughout the trial and for his dressing-down of the once-prominent lawyer just before he sent him to prison.

Read on:

Murdaugh judge's own legal story unfolded in South Carolina

Judge decries Murdaugh’s continued lies about murders in scathing sentencing remarks

Friday 3 March 2023 19:45 , Oliver O'Connell

A South Carolina judge harshly condemned Alex Murdaugh for continuing to lie about his guilt in the murders of his wife and son as he was sentenced to life in prison.

The disgraced legal scion was given two consecutive life sentences by Colleton County Court Judge Clifton Newman on Friday morning, hours after a jury found him guilty of shooting dead his wife Maggie and son Paul in June 2021.

Murdaugh addressed the court briefly, once again professing his innocence and insisting: “I would never hurt Maggie and Paul.”

Judge Newman seized on Murdaugh’s continued denials as they faced each other directly in front of the court.

Andrea Blanco and Rachel Sharp report.

Judge decries Alex Murdaugh’s continued lies about murders in sentencing remarks

Voices: We knew the Alex Murdaugh case was complicated — but no one expected this

Friday 3 March 2023 19:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Rachel Sharp has followed the Murdaugh case since day one. She writes that power and prominence couldn’t save Alex Murdaugh from facing justice for Maggie and Paul’s murders.

If anything, it only showed how much further he had fallen.

The Murdaugh case was complicated - but this is deeper than anyone expected | Voices

Murdaugh to appeal guilty verdict as defence continues to gripe about case

Friday 3 March 2023 18:34 , Oliver O'Connell

Disgraced legal dynasty heir and convicted family killer Alex Murdaugh is already planning to appeal his verdict after a jury of 12 found him guilty of the murders of his wife and son.

Defence attorneys Jim Griffin and Dick Harpootlian held a feisty press conference outside Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, on Friday where they vowed to fight the murder conviction which has landed Murdaugh behind bars for life.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Alex Murdaugh to appeal guilty verdict as defence gripes about case after sentencing

Voices: Will Alex Murdaugh remember what brought him down?

Friday 3 March 2023 18:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Megan Sheets writes that holes in Alex Murdaugh’s memory did not go unnoticed by the jury at his double-murder trial at the same time he recalled a mountain of tiny details.

Will Alex Murdaugh remember what brought him down?

Watch: South Carolina AG says Murdaugh himself was biggest piece of evidence

Friday 3 March 2023 17:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Friday 3 March 2023 17:32 , Oliver O'Connell

They are asked why Buster Murdaugh did not speak this morning in court.

Griffin says “we could have had Mother Theresa” up on the stand speaking on behalf of Murdaugh but the judge was going to give a life sentence. He adds they wouldn’t want to put Buster through that trauma.

“Alex was not optimistic with all the scrutiny and the press and all of his bad acts being out there in the public,” he said about whether they could get a fair jury.

Griffin adds: “We were hoping to get a jury that could ignore the noise.”

Harpootlian says that the prosecution won the case the moment the judge “bought into” the financial crimes motive theory.

They intend to appeal the case all the way to the Supreme Court.

Defence team press conference underway

Friday 3 March 2023 17:23 , Oliver O'Connell

Lead prosecutor Dick Harpootlian is answering press questions outside the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina.

He immediately denies it was a mistake to allow Alex Murdaugh to testify in his own defence.

Mr Harpootlian says an appeal will be filed in 10 days.

Prosecutor Jim Griffin says the basis of the appeal will be the inclusion of the financial crimes evidence.

Harpootlian says the inclusion of the financial crimes “was about character” and “wasn’t about motive”.

Police chief promises ‘justice’ for all of Alex Murdaugh’s victims

Friday 3 March 2023 17:05 , Oliver O'Connell

South Carolina officials have vowed to get “justice” for all of Alex Murdaugh’s other alleged victims after he was sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul.

SLED Chief Mark Keel gave a brief press conference outside Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, moments after Murdaugh was handed the highest possible sentence over the 7 June 2021 slayings.

“Today is not the end. It’s the next step in a long road to justice for every person who has been victimised by Alex Murdaugh,” he said.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Police chief promises ‘justice’ for all of Alex Murdaugh’s victims

Judge tells Murdaugh his wife and son will ‘visit him every night’

Friday 3 March 2023 16:32 , Oliver O'Connell

In searing remarks during this morning’s sentencing, Judge Clifton Newman told convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh that his slain wife and son will ‘visit him every night’ as he spends the rest of his life in prison.

Andrea Blanco reports on the judge’s full remarks.

Judge tells Alex Murdaugh his wife and son will ‘visit him every night’

How Murdaugh’s former law firm reacted

Friday 3 March 2023 16:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Parker Law Group LLP, formerly PMPED until the scale of Alex Murdaugh’s financial crimes was uncovered, published a statement last night after the verdict was announced.

The actions of Alex Murdaugh are shocking to us all. Tonight’s verdict, which was rendered after a thorough and fair trial, brings justice and some closure to this awful matter. Maggie and Paul died tragically and for reasons we may never fully comprehend. They were much beloved, and we will forever mourn their loss.

Murdaugh defence team to hold press conference

Friday 3 March 2023 16:12 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Murdaugh’s defence team, lead by attorneys Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin, will hold a press conference at 11.45am ET.

They are expected to discuss their intention to appeal the conviction following Murdaugh’s proclamation of his innocence during sentencing.

Defence attorney Dick Harpootlian, right, and defence attorney Jim Griffin speak after their client Alex Murdaugh is found guilty (AP)
Defence attorney Dick Harpootlian, right, and defence attorney Jim Griffin speak after their client Alex Murdaugh is found guilty (AP)

Why did the jury convict Murdaugh?

Friday 3 March 2023 15:54 , Oliver O'Connell

A juror in Alex Murdaugh’s double murder trial has broken his silence to reveal what it was that sealed the fate of the disgraced legal dynasty heir.

Craig Moyer spoke out for the first time on Thursday just hours after the jury convicted Murdaugh of the savage double murder of his wife Maggie and son Paul in Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina.

Mr Moyer told ABC News that Murdaugh’s lack of remorse, crocodile tears and the damning cellphone video captured by Paul minutes before his murder convinced the panel of his guilt.

Here’s what he said:

Alex Murdaugh juror reveals what led panel to find him guilty of murder

Chief Mark Keel of SLED holds press conference

Friday 3 March 2023 15:49 , Oliver O'Connell

Chief Mark Keel of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) held a press conference outside the Colleton County Courthouse shortly after the sentencing.

The defence team was highly critical of the SLED investigation into the deaths of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh and picked at every detail in an effort to create reasonable doubt regarding how the murders were committed.

He says “there are no winners today.”

“Today is not the end. It’s the next step in a long road to justice for every person who has been victimised by Alex Murdaugh,” he said.

Chief Keel says he is here today to give a voice to Maggie and Paul and to support and thank his team of agents, forensic scientists, and support personnel who worked on the case.

“Yesterday and today, justice was served.”

Where will Alex Murdaugh go to prison?

Friday 3 March 2023 15:35 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Murdaugh is used to the high life.

Coming from a long line of top prosecutors, his wealthy family once dominated the legal system in the lowcountry.

As a powerful and well-known attorney himself, he earned upwards of $1m a year (not to mention the millions that he allegedly stole from legal clients and his law firm).

He lived on a huge 1,700-acre in Islandton with his family while also enjoying a second home in Edisto Beach.

Now, his lifestyle will be a little bit different.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Where will Alex Murdaugh go to prison?

Watch: Damning words from Judge Newman during sentencing

Friday 3 March 2023 15:29 , Oliver O'Connell

Full story: Murdaugh maintains his innocence as he’s sentenced to life in prison

Friday 3 March 2023 15:19 , Oliver O'Connell

A shackled Alex Murdaugh continued to maintain his innocence as he was sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul.

The disgraced legal dynasty heir appeared for his sentencing in Colleton County Courthouse on Friday morning where he was told he will spend the remainder of his life behind bars.

Dressed in a prison jumpsuit, with his hands cuffed and feet shackled, it was a far cry from the powerful and wealthy lifestyle that Murdaugh once enjoyed as the heir of a family that once dominated the lowcountry’s legal system.

While his surviving son Buster and other family members looked on from the public gallery, Murdaugh stood and addressed the court once again insisting his innocence of the brutal 7 June 2021 murders.

“I’m innocent. I would never hurt by wife Maggie and I would never hurt my son PawPaw,” he told the court.

Rachel Sharp reports on the culmination of six weeks of legal process.

Alex Murdaugh maintains his innocence as he’s sentenced to life in prison for murders

Murdaugh sentences to LIFE for murders

Friday 3 March 2023 15:07 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Newman sentences Murdaugh to life in prison for the murders of his wife, Maggie, and son Paul.

The sentences will run consecutively.

Friday 3 March 2023 15:06 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Newman takes Murdaugh back to the day of the crimes and the “gathering storm” of his financial woes that were building up with his firm and Mark Tinsley on his tail.

“But amazingly, to have you come and testify that it was just another ordinary day, that my wife and son and I were out just enjoying life. Not credible. Not believable.”

He adds: “You could convince yourself,” but clearly you could not convince anyone else.

Friday 3 March 2023 15:03 , Oliver O'Connell

Murdaugh again proclaims his innocence.\

“I’ll tell you again. I respect this court, but I am innocent, and I would never under any circumstances hurt my wife, Maggie, and I would never under any circumstances hurt my son Paul.”

Friday 3 March 2023 15:03 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Newman tells Murdaugh he is sure Paul and Maggie visit him every night when he tries to sleep.

“They will continue to do so and will reflect on the last time they looked you in the eyes”

Friday 3 March 2023 15:01 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Newman continues: “A notice of alibi was filed in this case by counsel in November. We conducted a pretrial hearing in which you claimed to have been someplace else at the time the crime was committed.

“Then, after all the witnesses placed you at the scene of the crime, at the last minute or days, you switched courses and admitted to being there.”

Friday 3 March 2023 15:01 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Newman confronts Murdaugh about his lies throughout the trial, noting on the witness stand he said: “Oh, what a tangled web we weave.”

He asks what he meant by that.

Murdaugh says: “I meant that I lied and continued to lie.”

“The question is, when will it end? When will it end?” Judge Newman asks.

Friday 3 March 2023 14:58 , Oliver O'Connell

“Over the past century, your family — including you — have been prosecuting people here in this courtroom, and many have received the death penalty, probably for lesser conduct,” says Judge Newman.

Friday 3 March 2023 14:57 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Newman says Murdaugh “engaged in such duplicitous conduct here in the courtroom, here on the witness stand”.

“Appeals are probably expected or absolutely expected. I would not expect a confession of any kind,” he says, noting he has never had someone explain the moment of pulling the trigger in any case he has presided over.

Friday 3 March 2023 14:53 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Newman says this has been one of the most troubling cases that I’ve handled.

“We have a wife who has been killed, murdered, a son savagely murdered, a lawyer — a person from a respected family who has control of justice in this community for over a century. A person whose grandfather’s portrait hanged at the back of the courthouse — that I had to have ordered removed in order to ensure that a fair trial was had.”

He continues: “It’s also particularly troubling, Mr Murdaugh, because as a member of the legal community … you’ve practiced law before me, and we’ve seen each other at various occasions throughout the years. It was especially heartbreaking for me to see you go in the media from being a grieving father who lost their wife and son to being a person indicted and convicted of killing them.”

Murdaugh declares he is innocent

Friday 3 March 2023 14:50 , Oliver O'Connell

With no victim statements, the defence team say they have no comment, but Murdaugh himself speaks.

He simply says: “I’m innocent. I would never hurt my wife, Maggie, and I would never hurt my son Paul.”

Friday 3 March 2023 14:48 , Oliver O'Connell

Says Waters: “I’ve looked in his eyes. He liked to stare me down as he walked by me during this trial. And I could see the real Alex Murdaugh.”

He asks for two consecutive life sentences.

Friday 3 March 2023 14:48 , Oliver O'Connell

Creighton Waters tells the judge: “It shows this man to be a cunning manipulator, a man who placed himself above all others, including his family, a man who violated the trust of so many — including his friends, his family, his partners, his profession, but most of all Maggie and Paul.”

He adds: “A man like that should never be allowed to be among free, law-abiding citizens again.”

Waters notes that no one really knew who Murdaugh was, including Maggie and Paul.

Court resumes

Friday 3 March 2023 14:44 , Oliver O'Connell

Court is back in session with Judge Clifton Newman presiding.

There will be no victim impact statements.

Lead prosecutor Creighton Waters is instead making remarks and extends his condolences to the Murdaugh family for the loss of Maggie and Paul and Randall Murdaugh, Alex’s father.

Alex Murdaugh is wearing a prison jumpsuit.

LIVE: Watch Alex Murdaugh’s sentencing and victim statements

Friday 3 March 2023 14:32 , Oliver O'Connell

Murdaugh family arrives at courthouse

Friday 3 March 2023 14:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Murdaugh’s son Buster, accompanied by his girlfriend, and other family members have arrived for the sentencing.

Murdaugh arrives at courthouse in jail jumpsuit

Friday 3 March 2023 14:21 , Oliver O'Connell

How the verdict could’ve turned out differently

Friday 3 March 2023 14:10 , Oliver O'Connell

The verdict in Alex Murdaugh’s high-profile double murder trial could have turned out to be very different – if it hadn’t been for the actions of a juror with a dozen eggs.

Rachel Sharp has the story.

Alex Murdaugh verdict could have been different due to a juror with a dozen eggs

What sentence does Alex Murdaugh face?

Friday 3 March 2023 14:05 , Rachel Sharp

Alex Murdaugh is now expected to spend the rest of his life behind bars after he was convicted of the brutal murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul.

The disgraced legal dynasty heir – whose family once dominated the legal system in the lowcountry – will be sentenced in Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, today.

The sentencing will begin at 9.30am ET with victim impact statements expected to be read out in court.

He faces 30 years to life in prison on each of the murder charges and five years on each weapons charge. Sentences can be served concurrently – or consecutively.

Prosecutors are seeking the maximum penalty of life after taking the death penalty off the table.

Judge Clifton Newman has not indicated how he plans to sentence Murdaugh, but did say after the verdict was delivered that the evidence was “overwhelming”.

First juror speaks out to reveal what led panel to find Murdaugh guilty of murder

Friday 3 March 2023 13:56 , Rachel Sharp

A juror in Alex Murdaugh’s double murder trial has broken his silence to reveal what it was that sealed the fate of the disgraced legal dynasty heir.

Craig Moyer spoke out for the first time on Thursday just hours after the jury convicted Murdaugh of the savage double murder of his wife Maggie and son Paul in Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina.

Mr Moyer told ABC News that Murdaugh’s lack of remorse, crocodile tears and the damning cellphone video captured by Paul minutes before his murder convinced the panel of his guilt.

“I didn’t see any true remorse or any compassion or anything,” he said, adding that the disgraced attorney came across like “a big liar”.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the story:

Alex Murdaugh juror reveals what led panel to find him guilty of murder

What’s next for Alex Murdaugh after guilty verdict?

Friday 3 March 2023 13:52 , Oliver O'Connell

Disgraced legal scion Alex Murdaugh has been found guilty of the brutal murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul.

The once-powerful attorney was convicted of two counts of murder and two weapons charges after a dramatic six-week “trial of the century” inside the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina.

Jurors took less than three hours to reach the verdict after hearing how he had gunned down his wife Maggie and son Paul on the family’s sprawling 1,700-acre Moselle estate in Islandton, South Carolina, back on 7 June 2021. He faces up to life in prison on the charges.

But this is far from the end of the scandals, criminal cases and unanswered questions surrounding Murdaugh.

Rachel Sharp reports on what the future holds for him.

What’s next for Alex Murdaugh?

‘No one is above the law’: Prosecutors speak to cheering crowd after guilty trial verdict

Friday 3 March 2023 13:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Prosecutors in South Carolina reacted with elation to the guilty verdict against Alex Murdaugh on Thursday night, telling a cheering crowd: “Justice has been done”.

At a jubilant press conference outside the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, state attorney general Alan Wilson hailed “a great day for the people of South Carolina”.

Io Dodds has the story.

Elated Alex Murdaugh prosecutors hail guilty verdict: ‘No one is above the law’

Court rejects Alex Murdaugh’s last-minute bid for acquittal

Friday 3 March 2023 13:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Moments after disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh was convicted on Thursday of murdering his wife and son, a South Carolina court rejected his attempts to seek an acquittal.

A lawyer for Murdaugh, who could face up to life in prison when he is sentenced on Friday morning, argued the state hadn’t provided enough evidence to prove he was responsible for the 2021 killings.

Josh Marcus reports.

Court rejects Alex Murdaugh’s last-minute bid for acquittal after murder verdict

Watch: Craziest courthouse moments from the Alex Murdaugh trial

Friday 3 March 2023 13:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The craziest courthouse moments from the Alex Murdaugh trial

Buster Murdaugh remains stoic as father Alex is convicted

Friday 3 March 2023 12:40 , Oliver O'Connell

A stoic Buster Murdaugh kept his emotions close to his chest as he watched the moment his father Alex was convicted of killing his brother Paul and mother Maggie.

Buster, 26, looked on in Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, on Thursday evening as a jury handed down a verdict of guilty on all charges to his only living parent.

His father turned to him and mouthed “it’s okay” as the verdict was handed down.

Buster Murdaugh stoic as father Alex is convicted of killing brother and mother

How Alex Murdaugh’s son helped seal his father’s guilty verdict from beyond the grave

Friday 3 March 2023 12:20 , Oliver O'Connell

In the end, Alex Murdaugh’s crimes caught up with him.

And it was his own son who unknowingly helped cement his downfall from beyond the grave with a damning 50-second cellphone video of a dog.

As prosecutor Creighton Waters said in his closing argument for the state, this video “changed everything”.

Rachel Sharp reports on the crucial piece of evidence that upended an alibi.

How a 50-second video of a dog brought down Alex Murdaugh

Murdaugh is found guilty of brutal murders of wife and son

Friday 3 March 2023 12:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Shamed legal dynasty heir Alex Murdaugh has been found guilty of the brutal murders of his wife and adult son.

The 54-year-old disbarred attorney was convicted of two counts of murder and two weapons charges after a dramatic six-week “trial of the century” inside the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina.

He faces up to life in prison on the charges.

Rachel Sharp reports on a dramatic evening in court.

Alex Murdaugh is found guilty of brutal murders of wife and son

Murdaugh trial draws mass attention

Friday 3 March 2023 11:30 , Oliver O'Connell

As the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh wraps, the heaps of public attention poured on the case’s many twists and turns are hardly waning.

Investigations stemming from the June 7, 2021 shooting deaths of the legal scion’s wife and son revealed the prominent South Carolina lawyer stole millions of dollars from largely poor client’s settlements and staged an attempt on his life to secure his surviving son a $12 million life insurance payout, according to authorities.

In the process, true crime enthusiasts, concerned onlookers and many others found the latest subject of their fascination in the yearslong unraveling of a mystery that jurors must now weigh.

Engagement vs entertainment: Murdaugh draws mass attention

Watch: Guilty verdict handed down

Friday 3 March 2023 11:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Moment Alex Murdaugh found guilty of murder of wife and son

Watch: What turned Murdaugh into ‘family annihilator’?

Friday 3 March 2023 10:45 , Oliver O'Connell

‘Gathering storm’ turned Alex Murdaugh into a ‘family annihilator’, prosecutor says

Alex Murdaugh freezes as guilty verdict threatens life sentence for murders and cheers erupt outside court

Friday 3 March 2023 10:15 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Shamed legal dynasty heir Alex Murdaugh has been found guilty of the brutal murders of his wife and adult son.

The 54-year-old disbarred attorney was convicted of two counts of murder and two weapons charges after a dramatic six-week “trial of the century” inside the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina.

He faces up to life in prison on the charges.

Murdaugh appeared emotionless as the guilty verdicts were read out to deafeningly silent court, as his and Maggie’s only surviving son Buster, 26, looked on from the gallery.

Alex Murdaugh is found guilty of brutal murders of wife and son

Inside Alex Murdaugh’s $4m Moselle estate

Friday 3 March 2023 09:45 , Oliver O'Connell

On Wednesday, the jury was taken to the family’s sprawling 1,700-acre Moselle estate in Islandton, South Carolina, to see for themselves the crime scene where Maggie and Paul were killed back on 7 June 2021.

They toured the dog kennels where Mr Murdaugh allegedly ambushed his son in the feed room, shooting him once in the chest and a second time in the head, neck and shoulder with a shotgun.

They saw where, moments after gunning down Paul, the husband and father allegedly turned on his wife Maggie.

They saw where she desperately tried to flee her killer, backing into an ATV under a hangar outside before being shot five times with a semiautomatic rifle.

But that’s not all jurors saw.

Three bodies, 1,700 acres and a whole lot of hogs: Alex Murdaugh’s $4m Moselle estate

A minute-by-minute timeline of the night Maggie and Paul were murdered

Friday 3 March 2023 09:15 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Cell phone and GPS data establishes an exhaustive timeline of events around the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh, Oliver O'Connell writes:

Minute-by-minute timeline maps out the night Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were murdered

All the key figures in the Alex Murdaugh trial

Friday 3 March 2023 08:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Disgraced legal scion Alex Murdaugh is currently on trial for the grisly double murder of his wife Maggie and son Paul, who were found shot dead at the family’s sprawling estate in Islandton, South Carolina, on 7 June 2021.

The husband and father – who comes from a long line of prominent attorneys in South Carolina – is accused of shooting Paul twice with a shotgun and Maggie five times with an AR-15-style rifle.

Prosecutors claim that he was motivated by desperation to distract from his string of alleged financial crimes which were on the brink of being exposed.

For years, the Murdaughs reigned over the local justice system and mingled in powerful circles.

Now, the brutal double murders have brought to light a series of scandals surrounding Mr Murdaugh including unexplained deaths, a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme and a botched hitman plot – in a sprawling saga that touches many across the lowcountry.

Here’s some of the key players in the case:

Who are the attorneys and judge in the Alex Murdaugh murder trial?

Buster Murdaugh remains stoic as father Alex is convicted of killing his brother Paul and mother Maggie

Friday 3 March 2023 08:15 , Maroosha Muzaffar

A stoic Buster Murdaugh kept his emotions close to his chest as he watched the moment his father Alex was convicted of killing his brother Paul and mother Maggie.

Buster, 26, looked on in Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, on Thursday evening as a jury handed down a verdict of guilty on all charges to his only living parent.

His father turned to him and mouthed “it’s okay” as the verdict was handed down.

Read the full story here:

Buster Murdaugh stoic as father Alex is convicted of killing brother and mother

Murdaugh is found guilty of brutal murders of wife and son

Friday 3 March 2023 07:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Shamed legal dynasty heir Alex Murdaugh has been found guilty of the brutal murders of his wife and adult son.

The 54-year-old disbarred attorney was convicted of two counts of murder and two weapons charges after a dramatic six-week “trial of the century” inside the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina.

He faces up to life in prison on the charges.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Alex Murdaugh is found guilty of brutal murders of wife and son

ICYMI: Who is Alex Murdaugh?

Friday 3 March 2023 07:15 , Oliver O'Connell

The man now found guilty of murder of his wife and son is facing more than 100 other criminal charges over an alleged white collar fraud spree and a botched hitman plot.

Read the full story by Rachel Sharp here:

Who is Alex Murdaugh?

Voice: We knew the Alex Murdaugh case was complicated, however...

Friday 3 March 2023 06:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The Murdaugh case was complicated - but this is deeper than anyone expected | Voices

Murders, million-dollar fraud and mystery deaths: The story of Alex Murdaugh’s spectacular fall from grace

Friday 3 March 2023 06:15 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Powerful legal scion Alex Murdaugh has been found guilty of the murders of his wife and son. But this is far from the only twist in a bizarre and sprawling tale of unexplained deaths, hitman plots and multi-million-dollar fraud schemes, writes Rachel Sharp:

The story of Alex Murdaugh’s spectacular fall from grace

Parker Law Group says verdict brings ‘justice and some closure'

Friday 3 March 2023 05:45 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Parker Law Group, the firm created after PMPED disbanded, issued a statement following AlexMurdaugh’s guilty verdict yesterday, mourning the loss of Maggie and Paul who “died tragically”.

In the statement, the firm said: “The actions of Alex Murdaugh are shocking to us all. Tonight’s verdict, which was rendered after a thorough and fair trial, brings justice and some closure to this awful matter.

“Maggie and Paul died tragically and for reasons, we may never fully comprehend. They were much beloved, and we will forever mourn their loss.”

On 4 January, partners with Peters Murdaugh Parker Eltzroth and Detrick, PA (PMPED) announced that the Hampton, South Carolina-based law firm is transitioning to Parker Law Group.

Watch: ‘If you do wrong, if you break the law, if you murder then justice will be done'

Friday 3 March 2023 05:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Who were the key players in Alex Murdaugh murder trial?

Friday 3 March 2023 05:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Disgraced legal scion Alex Murdaugh has been convicted of the grisly double murder of his wife Maggie and son Paul, who were found shot dead at the family’s sprawling estate in Islandton, South Carolina, on 7 June 2021.

The husband and father – who comes from a long line of prominent attorneys in South Carolina – was accused of shooting Paul twice with a shotgun and Maggie five times with an AR-15-style rifle.

Read the full story by Rachel Sharp here:

Who are the attorneys and judge in the Alex Murdaugh murder trial?

A ‘confession’, bloody dog kennels and ‘clean’ shirt: Key revelations from the Alex Murdaugh murder trial

Friday 3 March 2023 05:15 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Alex Murdaugh’s high-profile trial is now over at Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina. Rachel Sharp explains the most crucial moments

Key revelations and updates from the Alex Murdaugh murder trial

Buster Murdaugh remains stoic as father Alex is convicted of killing his brother Paul and mother Maggie

Friday 3 March 2023 05:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar

A stoic Buster Murdaugh kept his emotions close to his chest as he watched the moment his father Alex was convicted of killing his brother Paul and mother Maggie.

Buster, 26, looked on in Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, on Thursday evening as a jury handed down a verdict of guilty on all charges to his only living parent.

His father turned to him and mouthed “it’s okay” as the verdict was handed down.

Read the full story by Rachel Sharp here:

Buster Murdaugh stoic as father Alex is convicted of killing brother and mother

How Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial became a circus

Friday 3 March 2023 04:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Murder. A botched hitman plot. Mystery deaths. Millions of dollars of stolen money. Opioid addiction.

The case involving Alex Murdaugh appears to have it all when it comes to drama and plot twists.

It’s then little surprise that his murder trial now going on in Walterboro, South Carolina, has captivated the public all across America.

But it should then also come as little surprise to see the high-profile case spilling out into a spectacle far beyond the testimony jurors heard in the courtroom.

How Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial became a circus

Alex Murdaugh freezes as guilty verdict threatens life sentence for murders and cheers erupt outside court

Friday 3 March 2023 04:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Shamed legal dynasty heir Alex Murdaugh has been found guilty of the brutal murders of his wife and adult son.

The 54-year-old disbarred attorney was convicted of two counts of murder and two weapons charges after a dramatic six-week “trial of the century” inside the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina.

He faces up to life in prison on the charges.

Read the full story by Rachel Sharp here:

Alex Murdaugh is found guilty of brutal murders of wife and son

Watch: Craziest courthouse moments from the Alex Murdaugh trial

Friday 3 March 2023 04:15 , Oliver O'Connell

The craziest courthouse moments from the Alex Murdaugh trial

How Alex Murdaugh’s son helped seal his guilty verdict from beyond the grave with a 50-second video of a dog

Friday 3 March 2023 04:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Paul Murdaugh had no idea that a video of a dog he took to send a friend would lead to justice for him and his mother – and the conviction of his own father for their murders. Rachel Sharp reports:

How a 50-second video of a dog brought down Alex Murdaugh

Juror dismissed for misconduct sparks laughter by revealing she left ‘a dozen eggs’ in jury room

Friday 3 March 2023 03:45 , Oliver O'Connell

A juror in Alex Murdaugh’s double murder trial sparked laughter in the courtroom when she revealed she had left “a dozen eggs” in the jury room after being dismissed for misconduct.

Judge Clifton Newman announced in Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, on Thursday morning that a female juror – number 785 – was being removed from the panel for discussing the case with at least three other people.

“We have to deal with the issue involving the removal of a juror,” he told the court, in what marks the latest disruption to the high-profile case.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Alex Murdaugh juror dismissed for misconduct sparks laughter with egg concerns

Minute-by-minute timeline of the night Maggie and Paul were murdered

Friday 3 March 2023 03:22 , Oliver O'Connell

What happened on the night of 7 June 2021 at the Murdaughs’ Moselle property?

Minute-by-minute timeline maps out the night Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were murdered

How Alex Murdaugh’s son helped seal his father’s guilty verdict from beyond the grave

Friday 3 March 2023 03:00 , Oliver O'Connell

In the end, Alex Murdaugh’s crimes caught up with him.

And it was his own son who unknowingly helped cement his downfall from beyond the grave with a damning 50-second cellphone video of a dog.

As prosecutor Creighton Waters said in his closing argument for the state, this video “changed everything”.

Rachel Sharp reports on the crucial piece of evidence that upended an alibi.

How a 50-second video of a dog brought down Alex Murdaugh

Murdaugh to be sentenced tomorrow after court hears victim statements

Friday 3 March 2023 02:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Sentencing will take place Friday for Alex Murdaugh, the legal scion who was just convicted of murdering his wife and son in 2021.

The South Carolina man could face up to life in prison.

Proceedings will begin at 9.30am ET on Friday after the court hears victim impact statements.

It is unclear who will read victim statements ahead of sentencing, but recollections could come from family members of the disgraced heir to a legal dynasty.

Josh Marcus has the latest.

Alex Murdaugh to be sentenced tomorrow after court hears victim impact statements

What’s next for Alex Murdaugh after guilty verdict?

Friday 3 March 2023 02:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Disgraced legal scion Alex Murdaugh has been found guilty of the brutal murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul.

The once-powerful attorney was convicted of two counts of murder and two weapons charges after a dramatic six-week “trial of the century” inside the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina.

Jurors took less than three hours to reach the verdict after hearing how he had gunned down his wife Maggie and son Paul on the family’s sprawling 1,700-acre Moselle estate in Islandton, South Carolina, back on 7 June 2021. He faces up to life in prison on the charges.

But this is far from the end of the scandals, criminal cases and unanswered questions surrounding Murdaugh.

Rachel Sharp reports on what the future holds for him.

What’s next for Alex Murdaugh?

Court rejects Alex Murdaugh’s last-minute bid for acquittal

Friday 3 March 2023 02:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Moments after disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh was convicted on Thursday of murdering his wife and son, a South Carolina court rejected his attempts to seek an acquittal.

A lawyer for Murdaugh, who could face up to life in prison when he is sentenced on Friday morning, argued the state hadn’t provided enough evidence to prove he was responsible for the 2021 killings.

Josh Marcus has the latest.

Court rejects Alex Murdaugh’s last-minute bid for acquittal after murder verdict

Watch: Murdaugh shows no emotion as verdict read

Friday 3 March 2023 02:00 , Oliver O'Connell

‘No one is above the law’: Prosecutors speak to cheering crowd after guilty trial verdict

Friday 3 March 2023 01:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Prosecutors in South Carolina reacted with elation to the guilty verdict against Alex Murdaugh on Thursday night, telling a cheering crowd: “Justice has been done”.

At a jubilant press conference outside the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, state attorney general Alan Wilson hailed “a great day for the people of South Carolina”.

“Today’s verdict proves that no one – no one, no matter who you are in society – is above the law,” Mr Wilson said.

Io Dodds has the latest.

Elated Alex Murdaugh prosecutors hail guilty verdict: ‘No one is above the law’

Inside Alex Murdaugh’s $4m Moselle estate

Friday 3 March 2023 01:40 , Oliver O'Connell

On Wednesday, the jury was taken to the family’s sprawling 1,700-acre Moselle estate in Islandton, South Carolina, to see for themselves the crime scene where Maggie and Paul were killed back on 7 June 2021.

They toured the dog kennels where Mr Murdaugh allegedly ambushed his son in the feed room, shooting him once in the chest and a second time in the head, neck and shoulder with a shotgun.

They saw where, moments after gunning down Paul, the husband and father allegedly turned on his wife Maggie.

They saw where she desperately tried to flee her killer, backing into an ATV under a hangar outside before being shot five times with a semiautomatic rifle.

But that’s not all jurors saw.

Three bodies, 1,700 acres and a whole lot of hogs: Alex Murdaugh’s $4m Moselle estate

Friday 3 March 2023 01:32 , Oliver O'Connell

Despite pleas to maintain the anonymity of the jurors in media coverage, it appears Court TV may have accidentally filmed them as Murdaugh was led out of the courtroom.

Reaction from inside the courtroom

Friday 3 March 2023 01:23 , Oliver O'Connell

Avery Wilks of The Post and Courier shared some insight into courtroom reaction to the verdict via his colleague Thad Moore.

The jury wore serious faces as they entered the courtroom.

Murdaugh’s family did not appear to react to the decision. Buster, holding his girlfriend Brooklynn’s hand, looked down at the ground.

Only when Judge Newman told jurors their verdict was supported by the evidence did Murdaugh’s sister, Lynn, begin shaking her head. Alex did not appear to react when Hill announced the verdict.

After Newman said Murdaugh would be remanded to sheriff’s office custody, a deputy immediately whipped out handcuffs and placed them on Murdaugh’s wrists, the first time he has been handcuffed in the courtroom during the 28-day proceedings.

The Murdaugh family left quickly, escorted by deputies. The prosecution team and SLED agents hugged and patted each other on the back.

Friday 3 March 2023 01:15 , Oliver O'Connell

“Justice was done today,” says Waters. “It doesn’t matter who your family is. It doesn’t matter how much money you have or people think you have. It doesn’t matter what you think how prominent you are. If you do wrong. If you break the law. If you murder, then justice will be done in South Carolina, and I think South Carolina has shown to the nation, and the world, how a process can work, and work well. Thank you.”

Friday 3 March 2023 01:12 , Oliver O'Connell

Lead prosecutor Creighton Waters also thanks the jurors for their service.

“We had no doubt that we had a chance to present our case in a court of law that they would see through the one last con that Alec Murdaugh was trying to pull and they did and we’re so grateful for that.”

Watch: South Carolina AG Wilson gives jubilant speech after verdict

Friday 3 March 2023 01:09 , Oliver O'Connell

Press conference underway

Friday 3 March 2023 01:07 , Oliver O'Connell

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson begins the post-trial press conference.

“It was all worth it because we got to bring justice and be a voice for Maggie and Paul Murdoch and bring justice for the people of South Carolina.”

He thanks the entire legal team beginning with lead prosecutor Creighton Waters.

AG Wilson also says an emphatic thank you to South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, whose reputation was called into question by the defence team.

He also thanks their federal and local law enforcement partners and the community of Walterboro, where the trial took place.

Watch: Murdaugh escorted out of court after conviction

Friday 3 March 2023 00:57 , Oliver O'Connell

Buster Murdaugh remains stoic as father Alex is convicted

Friday 3 March 2023 00:50 , Oliver O'Connell

A stoic Buster Murdaugh kept his emotions close to his chest as he watched the moment his father Alex was convicted of killing his brother Paul and mother Maggie.

Buster, 26, looked on in Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, on Thursday evening as a jury handed down a verdict of guilty on all charges to his only living parent.

Rachel Sharp has the latest.

Buster Murdaugh stoic as father Alex is convicted of killing brother and mother

Watch: Judge Newman responds to defence motion for directed verdict

Friday 3 March 2023 00:33 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Newman thanks jurors

Friday 3 March 2023 00:23 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Clifton Newman thanks the 12 jurors and one remaining alternate for their service.

“You all responded and gave due consideration to the evidence. I will make no comment now as to the extent of the overwhelming nature of the evidence, but certainly, the verdict that you have reached is supported.”

He adds: “The circumstantial evidence, direct evidence, all of the evidence pointed to one conclusion, and that’s the conclusion that you all reached.”

“I applaud you all as a group, and as a unit and individually in evaluating the evidence and coming to a proper conclusion as you saw the law and saw the facts.”

Sentencing set for tomorrow morning

Friday 3 March 2023 00:22 , Oliver O'Connell

All parties agree that sentencing can be handled at 9.30am tomorrow.

Alex Murdaugh is placed in handcuffs and escorted out of the courtroom in silence.

Full story: Murdaugh found guilty of all charges

Friday 3 March 2023 00:17 , Oliver O'Connell

Shamed legal dynasty heir Alex Murdaugh has been found guilty of the brutal murders of his wife and adult son.

The 54-year-old disbarred attorney was convicted of two counts of murder and two weapons charges after a dramatic six-week “trial of the century” inside the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina.

He faces life in prison on the charges.

Rachel Sharp has the full story.

Alex Murdaugh is found guilty of brutal murders of wife and son

Murdaugh found GUILTY of both murders

Friday 3 March 2023 00:07 , Oliver O'Connell

The jury has unanimously found Alex Murdaugh guilty of the murders of both his wife Maggie and son Paul.

Court back in session

Friday 3 March 2023 00:03 , Oliver O'Connell

Court is back in session as we await the reading of the verdict.

Judge Clifton Newman asks for the jury to be brought in.

Jury reaches verdict in Alex Murdaugh’s trial for murders of wife and son

Thursday 2 March 2023 23:52 , Oliver O'Connell

A verdict has been reached in the double murder trial of disgraced legal dynasty heir Alex Murdaugh.

The jury told Judge Clifton Newman that the panel had reached a verdict on Thursday afternoon.

In total, the panel of 12 spent less than three hours deliberating over the mountain of evidence and testimony presented by the prosecution and the defence, as they weighed whether or not to convict Mr Murdaugh of the brutal murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul.

Now, Mr Murdaugh’s fate has been sealed and the verdict will be read out.

Rachel Sharp reports on the breaking news.

Jury reaches verdict in Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial

People are lining up to reenter courtroom

Thursday 2 March 2023 23:36 , Oliver O'Connell

Action in the courtroom

Thursday 2 March 2023 23:33 , Megan Sheets

Lawyers appear to have gathered in the courtroom.

There have been no official indications of what is happening - but it could be that the jury is about to go home for the night.

What are the charges against Alex Murdaugh?

Thursday 2 March 2023 23:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The jury is now deliberating after hearing six weeks of evidence and arguments in the double-murder trial of Alex Murdaugh.

Mr Murdaugh, the disbarred personal injury lawyer, is accused of brutally murdering his wife Maggie, 52, and his son, Paul, 22, at the family home in Colleton County, South Carolina, on 7 June 2021.

The 12 jurors are considering four charges against Mr Murdaugh. Here’s what they are:

What are the charges against Alex Murdaugh?

Murdaugh’s ‘gathering storm’ of crimes turned him into a ‘family annihilator’, says prosecutor

Thursday 2 March 2023 22:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Murdaugh’s “gathering storm” of financial crimes, opioid addiction and years of “living a lie” culminated with the moment that he murdered his wife Maggie and son Paul, according to the prosecution’s dramatic three-hour closing statement.

In Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, on Wednesday, prosecutor Creighton Waters described how the once-powerful attorney spent years “on the hamster wheel” avoiding accountability as he stole millions of dollars from his law firm and its clients.

While keeping up the pretense of a respected attorney and carrying on his prominent family’s legacy, he had actually been “living a lie” for the last decade and the “pressure became overwhelming”.

Alex Murdaugh prosecutor says storm of crimes made him a killer in closing argument

Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website

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